Shmuz #13

Free Will – Part 1: Nefesh Habahami, Nefesh Hasichli

Have you ever reacted to something in such a way that you couldn’t believe it was you? Have you ever said something and had a feeling of, “What came over me? It was as if I were possessed.”

In this introduction to the inner workings of the human being, we come face to face with the understanding that I am created from very diverse elements. Within me are different forces pulling in opposite directions. Not only isn’t this accidental, it is actually a necessary component of free will. Free will means that I can go either way. It is my choice, not something that I was programmed to do. Without free will, there would be no temptation, and man would do good and only good, not because he chose to, but because he was programmed for it. Hence, man would be no different than an animal.

In this integral introduction to the complexity of the human, we are given a glimpse into understanding the forces behind the different behaviors within ourselves.